Highly Overrated But Still Good

Don't Believe the Hype

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Sam Katzman never did worry about continuity for his Bowery Boys. Before Here Come The Marines the guys were in the army and navy both. But military service comedies are always good for laughs and the Bowery Boys were naturals for them.As the Marine Corps recruiting slogan goes, the Marines are looking for a few good men. So why would the Marines consider drafting the Bowery Boys? Don't those other armed forces talk to each other?The commandant of the base discovers that Huntz Hall's father was his sergeant in World War I and immediately makes Sach a sergeant. Like that sits well with Leo Gorcey given his natural leadership abilities. I don't think it takes much imagination to see where this is going.Guest performers include Paul Maxey who runs a gambling clip joint where Marines lose their hard earned pay and the beautiful Myrna Dell who is the come-on.No new ground for the series broken here.

An ordinary Bowery Boys comedy without much notoriety to make it stand out from other films in this series. When Slip Mahoney (Leo Gorcey) gets a draft letter into the Marines, Sach (Huntz Hall) and the other "boys" join up too. It turns out that the dimwitted Sach is related to the old buddy of one of the higher-ups, and so he's immediately promoted to sergeant. This prestige goes to his head, and Sach becomes a hard task master to the rest of his pals. Relying on the simple notion of Sach being a tough boss does not leave room for much of a plot here, so tossed in is a subplot where the boys find a murdered marine on the side of the road and trace it to a crooked gambling joint (typical). ** out of ****

***SPOILERS*** The "Bowery Boys" end up enlisting in the US Marine Corpes after their leader Slip is drafted, at age 35,into it since the US military, deadlocked in the Korean War, is hard up for new recruits. In no time at all Slip's nutty, but very lucky, friend Sach makes it big in the Corps by his battalion leader Col.Thomas F. Brown finding out that his pop Horace Debussy Jones Sr.,known as "Hard Head" Jones, was his hard as nails drill sergeant back in WWI; The toughest man in the entire US Marine Corpes.Put in charge of the unit that Slip and his "Bowery Boys", Junior Butch & Chuck, are members off Sach makes life miserable for them in forcing the boys on 20 mile force marches, with full pack, while Sach is marching along with them on his bicycle. It's during one of those force marches that Slip finds a barley alive US Marine, Pvt. Hardy, on the side of the road with a playing card on him.It's later while on a 12 hour leave, given by Sgt. Sach, the boys are enticed by sexy Lulu Mea to go to this illegal gambling house run by her boss Jolly Joe Johnson where, besides being cheated out of his money, Slip notices that the cards uses there are exactly like the card he found on the unconscious and now dead Pvt. Hardy!***SPOILERS*** Not one of the better "Bowery Boys" movies in that the "Boys" never really get to do their thing, slap stick shenanigans, in it. Still it's not all bad in Sach making a complete jerk, which isn't that hard for him, of himself to the point where his friends "The Bowery Boys" would like nothing better then stick a bayonet up his behind and end up using him as Popsicle. In fact the "Boys" in the end get their wish with Slip promoted to be their unit leader due to his dad Sgt. "Fighting Terry" Mahoney being Col. Brown's new replacement Col. James Flavin top kick, Sergeant, in WW I. It's now time for the busted down to private Sach to do the grueling force marching while Slip and the boys get a big laugh out of it.

After 175 years, the United States Marine Corps decides it's time to bring "The Bowery Boys" into the fold. First contacted is loquacious leader Leo Gorcey (as Terrence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney), but pals Huntz Hall (as Horace Debussy "Sach" Jones Jr.), Gil Stratton (as "Junior"), David "Condon" Gorcey (as Chuck), and Benny "David" Bartlett (as "Butch") are quickly called up for duty. We see no basic training or hazing, unfortunately; but, comedy takes charge as Mr. Hall is given a whistle and made "Sergeant" of his Bowery-populated barracks. Meanwhile, Mr. Gorcey suspects a beaten Marine is connected to a crooked gambling ring.One of many military-themed Bowery adventures, "Here Come the Marines" proves the law of diminishing returns is alive and well in this feature film series. Most obvious is probably that Hall works hard with the material; he demonstrates fine comic abilities and entertainingly carries the movie. At one point, Hall is asked, "Don't you know a dud when you see one?" At least, Hall gives this rather dull story his best, with few re-takes (Leo needs to watch his head when getting out of the lower bunks). Also notable is that this is the last appearance of Mr. Stratton, a two-time "Bowery Boy" member who would soon fine better character roles.**** Here Come the Marines (6/29/52) William Beaudine ~ Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Gil Stratton, Hanley Stafford